Basic Garage conversion Re-generate an old or tired space and give it a fresh breath of life. Click here for answers, information and tips

[James Aldred]

Hi, Hope you guys can help. I have a detached house in England with a integral garage (bedroom above).

I use the garage only to store stuff and wanted to use it more productivly.

I want to put a stud wall in and split the room into two smaller room, one for tools and the like, one for storage of office files and an area for my pc / printer etc.

Im happy to leave the garage door in as Id prefer when the time comes to sell for it to be easy to sell as a house with a garage/storage area.

I dont want to do anything that breaks any planning regulations, can I get away with just putting the stud wall in, or do I have to consider putting a window in and having a raised floor. Do I need my local authority to approve my plans before I crack on?

I need to keep the conversion as cheap as possible, it doe'snt need to look pretty, its about making the most of my space.

Any feedback would be very welcome

James

[keith.bucknall]

James,

Did you get any reply to your messages I am planning the same thing as you for this summer on a single garage not intergal to the house.

thanks

keith

[thedoctor3]

Hi James & Keith, As you are not planning to covert your garages into living accommadation there should be no need to contact the planning dept or building regs. Best to make it removable in case you want to sell the house one day... Best of luck.. thedoctor3

[keith.bucknall]

thanks for the tip, this is why i was going to use a stud walling and suspended timber frame flooring, but as i am new to all of this my thoughts were:-

- vapour barrier, 4 x 2 beams and OSB boarding for the floor,
- stud walling with a head and sole plate, the stud work would be 3x2 with 600mm apart

thanks

keith

[James Aldred]

So to be clear what defines using the room as living accomodation, if from time to time I used my pc in the room with a desk (albiet with wireless its not essential) woul that be living accomodation.

Is there a specific reason why I may want to remove the stud wall if I am moving for example?

Do I have to consider any ventilation issues?

Thanks muchly and have a great Easter

James

[keith.bucknall]

James,

How did you get on with this, I have had to put back my plans until now but plan on getting these underway ASAP.

thanks

Keith

[eljaybee]

Keith/James,

If you are considering making part of your garage into an office/stud area then you will need to apply for building regs as this is classed as a habitable room, you will need to have a window or some form of mechanical ventilation for the room and the room will need to be suitably insulated.

[keith.bucknall]

eljaybee,

Thanks for the reply, it will not be habitable, I was thinking of 2x4 Stud walling, with the foil insulation and a small raised timber floor with a DPM and insulation.

Do you think this will be ok.

keith

[eljaybee]

Keith,

If it is simply creating an area to store boxes, etc then it should be OK, but the minute you start considering plastering and/or heating and/or electric you stand a good chance of getting into building regs. It's all down to interpretation of a habitable room. What I would do is draw a simple plan (don't worry about scale), add dimensions and room uses, and then
[b]write[/b] to your local b regs office. This way they will reply in writting to you and you have something should someone (even someone from the same b regs office!!!) come along querying things and it's always good for when you come to sell.

[nofxjay]

[quote="eljaybee"]Keith,

If it is simply creating an area to store boxes, etc then it should be OK, but the minute you start considering plastering and/or heating and/or electric you stand a good chance of getting into building regs. It's all down to interpretation of a habitable room. What I would do is draw a simple plan (don't worry about scale), add dimensions and room uses, and then
[b]write[/b] to your local b regs office. This way they will reply in writting to you and you have something should someone (even someone from the same b regs office!!!) come along querying things and it's always good for when you come to sell.[/quote]

Hi eljaybee

Can i just clarify something with this? I am looking to convert a garage/workshop to a studio. Its is a detached breezeblock and render building with no interior currently. I plan on ventilating the room, plastering and using as a studio. Will this require building regs approval?

cheers,
Jay

[eljaybee]

Jay,

It may be as it's detached provided that it still meets the requirements as detailed in Schedule 2 of the Building Regs (for England and Wales) for an exempt small building.

Schedule 2 - exempt buildings and works states -

Class VI

Small detached buildings

1. A detached single storey building having a flor area which does not exceed 30m2, which contains no sleeping accommodation and is a building -
a. no point of which is less than one metre from the boundary of its curtilage; or
b. which is constructed substantially of non-combustible material.

2. A detached building designed and intended to shelter people from the effects of nuclear, chemical or convential weapons, and not used for any other purpose, if -
a. its floor area does not exceed 30m2; and
b. the excavation for the building is no closer to any exposed part of another building or structure than a distance equal to the depth of the excavations plus one metre.

3. A detached building, having a floor area which does not exceed 15m2, which contains no sleeping accommodation.


Hope that this helps but I would still advise writing to your local building control office so you get a written response off them